HOMESTAY, ISLAND FESTIVAL TO BE PART OF ATTRACTION FOR LIMA'09

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- The Homestay Programme and Island Festival
will be held in conjunction with the Langkawi International Maritime and
Aerospace (LIMA'09) Exhibition from Dec 1 to 5.

Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen said, the aim was to attract local
tourists to experience village life through the homestay programme, as well as
help villagers to earn some money.

"Most local tourists don't get a chance to see the exhibition due to
limitations and high cost of accommodation, so with this programme they can not
only enjoy the exhibition, but learn our local culture," she told reporters
after a signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the organisers of
LIMA'09 at Defence Ministry (Wisma Pertahanan), here Tuesday.

She said the ministry had discussed with residents of Langkawi regarding
the programme and most of them had agreed to take part.

She said the LIMA'09 exhibition was used as a platform to attract foreign
and local tourists by reflecting 'Malaysia Truly Asia' via the programmes.


"We will work with the Tourism Action Councils to present the culture of
each state at the exhibition in a festival known as the Island Festival," she
said.

She said through this festival, night markets will be held at each
exhibition area to display the various cultures found in the country.

"We hope each tourist will have a wonderful experience and come back to
Langkawi after the exhibition is over," she said.

She also chided the attitude of certain hotel operators in Langkawi who take
advantage by increasing prices each time the LIMA exhibition was held.

"They (hotel operators) take advantage because before the exhibition
business is slow," she said.

Hotels should add facilities such as spas, massage centres and other
recreational activities at reasonable prices to attract repeat guests and new
tourists to Langkawi, instead of raising prices during such events, she said.

-- BERNAMA